Quote Originally Posted by Veronica View Post
So my next question...

What's your ratio of carbs/protein/fat? What's worked for me is a 40/40/20. I'm not super strict about it, but it's my general goal.

What I'm hearing is that you're restricting what you eat instead of finding a way to incorporate what you like into your diet. For example I love Trader Joe's cinnamon bread - 390 calories of carby goodness! plus the butter Totally throws my carb ratio out of whack. I eat it on days I run, have a race or a long bike ride. If it's a swim, weight training, yoga day, forget about it. I swear the stuff makes me run better!

I HAVE to have a sweet after dinner drives me crazy if I don't. Drives me crazy that I need it. Right now it's Trader Joe's chocolate covered frozen banana bits. A serving is 4, I eat 2.

Life sucks when you don't eat what you like, but you have to figure how to make it work. Depriving yourself isn't going to work. Which I know you know, but I wanted to say it anyway.

And you know, how many IM and marathons have you completed? You rock girl and you can do this.

Veronica
Thanks for the encouragement, V. When I incorporate what I like to eat, I go back to gaining. Maybe when I eat what I like I eat too much and that's the reason for the gain. I have to find that perfect medium of eating what I like, but maintaining. I think it all comes down to me being incredibly frustrated that I lost 35, gained back 45 and am struggling like heck to just lose 20. I don't need to be a size 4 like last time I lost: I would be slap-happy with an 8/10 (I'm almost 40, my body doesn't lose like it did when I was 30).
I guess I want it to be easy and I know it's not. I was so determined to NOT race as athena this season, and with my first two races next weekend, I'm still WELL above the athena cut-off. I'm disappointed that food rules my life and that the scale rules my emotions. I just want to be normal (not that I have ever been that way, but I can dream).

Thanks for the tips. I'll jump back on the wagon and get this thing taken care of. I WILL be 150 or less by the IM in late September. I might kill me, but I WILL do it!!!